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 Rolled ability scores or point buy system

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T O P I C    R E V I E W
sleyvas Posted - 08 Sep 2006 : 17:03:21
I think I've noticed a trend in my area, and I'm wondering if its happening everywhere else. With programs like e-tools about, I'm wondering if people have started going towards point buy systems for generating PC ability scores.... or do you still let them roll the die and watch them? If you do use point buy systems, do you use a non-standard point buy system? If you do the rolling the dice system, do you do anything more than "roll 3d6"?
30   L A T E S T    R E P L I E S    (Newest First)
Eremite Posted - 25 Dec 2008 : 12:43:47
I use point buy for everything:

PCs: 42 points
NPCs: depending on important- 25, 32 or 36 points
MrHedgehog Posted - 15 Dec 2008 : 17:37:22
I prefer the point buy system because it is more balanced.
Ionik Knight Posted - 15 Dec 2008 : 14:06:37
I believe PC's represent the exceptional individual, as such I've always encouraged high scores. I will allow players to plug in lower scores if they wish for concept purposes. My system is roll 4d6 reroll ones and drop the lowest die, roll one extra time (remember Comliness) and drop the lowest set, if all scores are less than 16 raise the lowest score to 16 (remember bonus xp). Of course my npc's receive the same treatment, and my monsters typically start the fight with max HP.

Ionik Knight
Ashe Ravenheart Posted - 11 Dec 2008 : 13:58:23
The 32 point buy system is very misleading. They recommend that most NPCs and Monsters have the ability scores set with either the 11/11/11/10/10/10 or 13/12/11/10/9/8 arrays, which come out to 15 points, or the Elite Array (15/14/13/12/10/8) which is 25 points, so the average PC array (usually averages 16/15/13/12/11/10) would be more than enough to tackle these creatures, even with their bonuses. However, a lot of the heroes and villains published have arrays that in the 45-55 point range. Unfortunately, players see those scores and want to be heroes like that (or be able to defeat the villains) and quickly realize that even with epic levels and magic items, they're still not going to match up.

With the 4d6 drop lowest, there is the chance to get those multiple 18's, which is what most players dream of. (Even the thespians. They like to put it in Charisma. )
ErskineF Posted - 11 Dec 2008 : 04:04:43
Since 3e came out, we had been doing 32-point buy. For the most recent campaign, we reverted to roll 4d6, drop lowest, and finagle until everyone is happy.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin Posted - 09 Dec 2008 : 23:38:39
quote:
Originally posted by ranger_of_the_unicorn_run

I'm not a fan of point puy because it makes everything average. I prefer play characters that are spectacularly good or spectacularly bad and I do 4d6 drop lowest.


I'm not a cheerleader for point-buy, but you can give yourself really high scores and really low scores with point-buy, too.
Nerfed2Hell Posted - 09 Dec 2008 : 21:13:26
I'm a traditionalist... 4d6 drop the lowest and assign.
Kyrene Posted - 09 Dec 2008 : 20:13:26
32 point buy, but to avoid the "average blues" I always use a 16, 15, 13, 12, 11 and a 10 (mixed up as fits the character concept best).
ranger_of_the_unicorn_run Posted - 09 Dec 2008 : 19:20:16
I'm not a fan of point puy because it makes everything average. I prefer play characters that are spectacularly good or spectacularly bad and I do 4d6 drop lowest. I had a druid once that had like two 18's and nothing below 12, and another time I had a druid with a 16 as highest score, a 6 in Int, an 8 in Con, and nothing else above 12. She didn't hit a monster once in combat.
Brimstone Posted - 08 Nov 2008 : 20:08:10
-The group I game with uses the 25 point buy. Better party balance. Some times we will go 40 piont buy for a really high powered game.


BRIMSTONE
Purple Dragon Knight Posted - 11 Apr 2008 : 00:31:05
32pt buy system... for the last 8 years now! :)
ShadezofDis Posted - 11 Apr 2008 : 00:11:16
I like rolling. I do try to make sure the party is balanced though, don't want to make a 3rd wheel type.
sfdragon Posted - 10 Apr 2008 : 21:41:04
34 unweighted point buy or rolled

i'd vote, but there is not other
Dezmodu Posted - 10 Apr 2008 : 19:50:22
we usaly use 4d6 drop lowest, do that 7 times and drop one (not always lowest due to character concept)
Zanan Posted - 02 Dec 2007 : 21:25:39
I'm one of these kind DM who lets the players roll three sets of "4d6 - drop lowest - assign as you like" and if that does not make them happy, leave them with 32 Point-buy.
Needless to say, NPCs get the very same chance.
BARDOBARBAROS Posted - 02 Dec 2007 : 20:53:35
I voted the roll 4d6, 6 times, drop lowest die & assign because that is what i play most in sessions...but i have not problem with the points buy system...
GRYPHON Posted - 02 Dec 2007 : 19:13:13
We go with the 4d6 system...Or a base of 12 + 1d6...
Matthus Posted - 04 Oct 2007 : 13:22:24
My players have a choice:

Roll 4d6 drop lowest as mentioned or distribute 74 points as you like. But after the rolls there is no chance to switch the system . So I seldom have unhappy players – Murphy’s law never gave the “rollers” bad dices – until now .
Ugly is the new black Posted - 04 Oct 2007 : 10:24:42
Standard point-buy system for me, although I've been more interested in using non-standard point-buy systems (low or challenging) for some time now. It ensures that the character you're playing has realistic* ability scores, which, in my opinion, helps define the character's concept and personality.

* flawed / not ideal.

love,
nathan.
Sian Posted - 04 Oct 2007 : 09:18:04
most commonly 4d6 ... sometimes with Additionel rules as reroll 1's, sell/buying points afterwards, the whole table use the best row from either player
Mr. Wilson Posted - 04 Oct 2007 : 09:06:25
32 point buy is my preferred system, but we also do 4d6 drop the lowest on occasion.
sirreus Posted - 03 Oct 2007 : 15:58:55
i allow 4d6 drop 1's. i also bump my npc's accordingly
Aravine Posted - 03 Oct 2007 : 15:29:19
at one point, i know this sounds crazy, but we just rolled 6 d20's
Aravine Posted - 03 Oct 2007 : 15:24:42
drop the lowest. 4d6
Exploit Posted - 18 Jan 2007 : 22:36:56
Most of the groups that I have played in for the last few years have used the 32 point buy system. Starts players off on an even footing and let's players make up characters without requiring the DM to witness rolls.
Tyr Posted - 15 Jan 2007 : 21:38:52
meh, all point buy does is encourage minmaxing and crippling classes that rely on multiple ability scores like the Paladin. 4d6 may depend on the luck of the dice but point buy favours those who know how to make the perfect build, not the average player.

4d6 drop 1 all the way!
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin Posted - 15 Jan 2007 : 19:24:20
I rather like point-buy. It acts as an equalizer, and characters only have "the same stats" if the players insist on min-maxing (that is, there's no rule that point-buy fighters *must* have low INT and CHA scores). And while I'm not going to make any judgments about players here and in pnp campaigns, I noticed that on the Neverwinter Nights CRPG boards, it's almost always the "power-players" who complain about how NWN makes you use the point-buy system (though of course, CRPGs will rolled stats usually let you roll as many times as you want).
Reefy Posted - 14 Jan 2007 : 00:12:49
quote:
Originally posted by Mace Hammerhand

I wanna breed hero material when I let my players create characters, what they do with the rolled stats is up to them, and if they screw up, they screw up.

4d6 discard lowest and reroll double 1s and 2s. But even then you can get some pretty lame results



That can happen when you roll for it; if you want to guarantee no weak stats, use point buy. But it can be both challenging and entertaining to sometimes play with a poor stat.
Mace Hammerhand Posted - 13 Jan 2007 : 23:26:00
I wanna breed hero material when I let my players create characters, what they do with the rolled stats is up to them, and if they screw up, they screw up.

4d6 discard lowest and reroll double 1s and 2s. But even then you can get some pretty lame results
Grehnar Posted - 13 Jan 2007 : 23:22:38
I used to go for 4d6 dropping the player's choice (usually but not always the lowest).
However, recent statistical analysis demonstrates my players to be bare-faced liars.
So lately I've gone for a 28 point-buying system.
Not much has changed.

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